Cahaba Heights Business Spotlight: Cummings Jewelry Design

When he was 12 years old, James Cummings Jr. spent his allowance on rough opals to experiment with and cut. With his parents’ support, Cummings Jewelry Design was founded in their basement in the early 1970s.  

“We still have customers we lovingly call ‘basement people’ because they’ve been here since the teenage jeweler times,” Jennifer Cummings, James’ wife, said.

At Cummings Jewelry they are proud to be “your neighborhood jeweler,” though their commitment to customer service has taken them outside Cahaba Heights. Jim recently travelled to New York to meet with one of his favorite customers and design an engagement ring.

In Cahaba Heights, customers will find this same level of customer service through jewelry repair, appraisals and custom work done by jewelers with more than 100 years of collective experience. The staff goes the extra mile to make sure clients are adequately insured and encourage clients to bring in their jewelry to be cleaned and inspected which can prevent lost stones.

Even though Cummings Jewelry Design has come a long way from its beginnings, a portrait of James’ parents hangs in the store. With such deep familial roots, the business has a perfect home in Cahaba Heights. “We are firm believers in small businesses,” Jennifer said. “With family-owned businesses comes a higher level of customer service.”

Cummings Jewelry Design, 3166 Village Circle, is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 298-9144 or visit cummingsjewelrydesign.com.